Paul van Dyk

Evolution - Average, Based on 2 Critics

AllMusic - 70Based on rating 7/10

70

The ravenous fans might disagree -- suggesting that the details that signify significant growth are abundant -- but Paul van Dyk's 2012 effort could be called Quintessential for everyone else's benefit. Besides the bigger booms and the wider, wide-angle productions, Evolution sounds quite like his 1994 debut 45 RPM, just with many more vocal cuts. One of these, the blissful "Eternity" with Owl City's Adam Young, gives this one its "For an Angel," acting as the album's key track and granting the second van Dyk generation their prime-time trance number.

Paul Van Dyk, the trance pioneer and oft-revered figurehead of electronic dance music, has been making and releasing music since his days as a radio broadcaster in the early ‘90s after fleeing the oppression of East Germany. Over time, he’s built up a devoted fan-base and an impressive amount of serious accolades, including being the only person to hold a spot as one of the top 10 DJ’s in the world since 1998. He was also part of the very first group of nominees for the Grammy’s Best Dance/Electronic Album award.